The coronavirus pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges for businesses around the world, but it has also accelerated the growth of ecommerce as people increasingly rely on online services.
Saudi interior designer Abrar Saggaf (@Abrarsaggaf) launched her brand Shaqmata in July at the peak of the outbreak in the Kingdom.
But, rather than get bogged down by the economic conditions thrown up by the pandemic, Saggaf decided to challenge herself with something new.
“I asked myself a question: Why would one limit themselves to one specialty, career, and source of income when they can invest in their talents and explore many potential opportunities?” she told Arab News. “I opened my drawer and found that I had many drawings which I collected over the years, and they resembled our local culture and I decided to convert my art style into products.”
Shaqmata (@shaqmata), which means scribbles in Arabic, turns Saggaf’s art into everyday products.
For years she had been encouraged by friends on social media to make decorative items like rugs and pillows out of her drawings that were the product of her stress-relief strategy — doodling.
Saggaf began with bags and has launched three designs since July. The designs are based on three different characters she created to resemble a certain culture.
She is also working on launching a new product — a modern abaya or light jacket — within a month.
What sets Shaqmata apart from other brands are its reasonable price point, as well as its quality and sophisticated design.
“Each character of our products has a name, a birth date, and a story. The more you give depth to your product the more people can connect with it,” she added. “At the beginning people used to order the products by design, now they know the designs by their names.”
Shaqmata targets a wide audience. Anyone interested in something unique and special that has a story — but is also practical — is a potential customer for Saggaf.
“Also, those interested in creative local brands and culture and art enthusiasts.”
Her 10 years of interior design experience, together with her passion for art, helped to grow her business in a few months.
“Although this is a completely new experience for me, my long experience in interior design helped me understand how to satisfy the needs of the targeted audience.”
She encouraged young people to seize opportunities and dare to take the first step toward their dream projects. “If people try to explore themselves, everyone will be able to find a hidden talent inside that’s worthy of their attention and investment.”
Saggaf currently sells her products on Instagram and delivers them to all regions of Saudi Arabia. But they will soon be available at two concept stores in Jeddah and will become available in Riyadh and Alkhobar as well.
She also wanted to offer her products to a wider audience worldwide, with her brand functioning as a platform for creative artists with similar interests to contribute to it.
“My goals are limitless. I want to take this project to grow as big as possible, reaching customers all over the world.”
Startup of the Week: Investing in art and culture in times of crisis
https://arab.news/wew6f
Startup of the Week: Investing in art and culture in times of crisis
- Saggaf currently sells her products on Instagram and delivers them to all regions of Saudi Arabia
UAE lands starring role in Hollywood film ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’
- Third installment of popular franchise will be released in November
DUBAI: The UAE has landed a starring role in the upcoming Hollywood film “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” with scenes filmed in the capital city Abu Dhabi.
The production, which will be released in November, wrapped up a 13-day shoot at several of the capital’s landmark locations, according to the Creative Media Authority on Thursday.
The film, which is packed with high-stakes heist scenes, was shot at destinations including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Bridge, the Liwa Desert, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, CLYMB, Yas Marina Circuit, W Abu Dhabi — Yas Island, and various city streets.
The third installment of the popular franchise, directed by US filmmaker Ruben Fleischer, brings back Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Morgan Freeman in their previous roles, joined by an ensemble cast that includes Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Rosamund Pike.
Saudi historical highlights on display at Abu Dhabi Book Fair
- Selections from London-based rare-book dealer Peter Harrington’s offering at the UAE fair, April 26 to May 5
‘The Holy Mosque at Makkah’
With a foreword by former Saudi Minister of Finance Sheikh Mohammed Abalkhail and images by the award-winning African photojournalist Mohamed Amin, this “sumptuous production” tracks the quarter century of restoration of the Sacred Mosque and Holy Kaaba in Makkah in the mid-20th century. “The text contains a historical description of the Holy Kaaba, Masjid al-Haram, a summary of recent construction in the Saudi era, and architectural notes, with the rest of the volume dedicated to Amin’s photographs, presenting detailed views of the diverse and extensive developments,” the book dealer’s notes state. Amin was “the first photographer to be given access to document the Hajj and among the first to photograph sections of the Holy Mosques of Makkah and Madinah. Over three years during the 1970s, he travelled by camel, helicopter, car and on foot to Madinah, Arafat, and Makkah.”
Confidential reports from the First and Third Arab Petroleum congresses
The historical global significance of the first Arab Petroleum Congress in 1959 cannot be understated. It was here that the idea of an oil-producing organization (an idea that eventually turned into OPEC) was introduced. “During proceedings, the influential oil journalist Wanda Jablonski introduced Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Tariki to Venezuela’s Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo, both of whom were upset by recent price cuts. They rallied delegates to sign the secret Maadi Pact, suggesting a Petroleum Consultation Commission to coordinate producer responses. This laid the groundwork for the 1960 Baghdad Conference, at which OPEC was officially formed,” the book dealer’s notes state. This grouping of documents contains in-house reports from Aramco on that congress, and the Third Arab Petroleum Congress in Dec. 1961, as well as other Aramco-produced materials from 1956-1961.
Photographic archive and reports from the recommissioning of the Hejaz Railway
The book dealer describes this collection as “a unique archive relating to the earliest post-war attempt to reconstruct the Hejaz railway and link Damascus with Madinah.” The last train to travel the full length of the railway was reportedly in 1925, after which “the line south of Mudawwara was washed away, and the conflicts that led to the creation of Saudi Arabia in 1932 dampened collective efforts at reconstruction.” The archive includes previously unpublished photos and original reports issued by the International Resources Engineering and Exploration Group, which was awarded to contract to design the project in 1956. “Coverage is particularly detailed for central and northern Saudi Arabia, especially the area around Mada’in Salih and Khur Himar,” the dealer states, and includes images of the party meeting with local officials including the rulers of AlUla and Tabuk.
A collection of magic lantern slides by Harry St John Bridger Philby & Alec Horace Edward Litton Holt
The British intelligence officer Philby — who served as an advisor to Saudi Arabia’s founder, King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud — and the engineer and explorer Holt travelled 600 miles together in 1922 through the desert via Al-Jawf province in Saudi Arabia “at the height of increasing tensions between Ibn Saud and the Hashemites.” These 23 slides were, the book dealer believes, likely used to illustrate the presentation the pair gave about their journey before the Royal Geographic Society in the UK on Feb. 12, 1923. “The collection shows Holt and Philby in Arab dress; Ford cars and aeroplanes at Jidd, desert scenes, a Ford condenser, and ploughing for landing fields, among others.”
Aramco educational PR pack
In an attempt to attract US students and graduates in the Sixties and Seventies, Aramco produced several collections of promotional material that included posters much like this one, which it distributed to schools and universities in the States. “The lively posters explore the history of Saudi Arabia and the company’s operations, each illustrated with photographs of historical figures (including T. E. Lawrence), company personnel and oil wells, and Saudi architecture,” the book dealer states.
‘Adaptability’ at SAMoCA shows ‘the similarity between clay and humans’
- Exhibition showcases ceramic works by 11 Arab artists
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Museum of Contemporary Art in Riyadh is currently hosting “Adaptability,” an exhibition of work in clay by 11 artists from five different Arab countries, each offering their unique perspective on our relationship with the material. The show runs until May 20.
“This exhibition beautifully illustrates the adaptability of clay, showcasing human creativity and our capacity for enduring change across cultures and civilizations,” curator Samer Yamani told Arab News. “It shows the similarity between clay and humans: We both are so strong, but fragile, and the higher the fire gets, the stronger we get — we adapt to new circumstances and new things happening in life; we are able to innovate and to be present.”
The show is laid out in three circles. The inner one includes work that expresses inner thoughts and emotions; the middle explores topics related to communities, culture, and life; the outer circle addresses heritage, urbanism, and sustainability.
“Clay is such a malleable material that you can shape through many different forms — hand-made, technological, mechanical… so it’s interesting to see all the different ways that the various artists have used or thought about clay; some more technical, some to express more emotional stories. The dialogue between the different ways of thinking with the same material is very interesting,” participating Jordanian artist Sama Alsaket told Arab News.
Alsaket’s piece, found in the middle circle, is titled “Shades of Terracotta” and was constructed from five different types of clay sourced from her home country. Combining her background in architecture with visual art, her work is intended to spark discourse around handmade, digital, and industrial processes.
“My work focuses on researching the different kinds of clay in Jordan and documenting traditional techniques there,” she said. “Through exploring these kinds of clay, which are iron-rich and usually used for terracotta, I was thinking about how to translate a vessel which is usually made out of terracotta and used to store water into something that is vertical. I was also thinking about how to leverage the different qualities and characteristics of terracotta in architecture.”
She added: “Riyadh seems like such an amazing platform for artists and they’re trying to shape and think about what contemporary art in the Middle East is.”
Egyptian artist Hana El-Sagini’s “The Doctor’s Desk” also features in the exhibition.
“It’s a reflection on illness as a female,” El-Sagini told Arab News. “I was a cancer patient and as a Middle Eastern Muslim woman you kind of protect your body and it’s very sacred, but once you become a patient, things totally change. You become this object they need to fix, which is very noble of them, but it’s a very overwhelming experience for us. Anyone who’s going through adversity goes through surreal ideas of reality versus illusion and ‘Is this really happening to me?’ Like with heartbreak, or the death of a loved one, or illness — all of these — you find yourself in a surreal state. This is why there are a lot of fingers in the work.”
The work is playful as well, she added. “I’m Egyptian, so I need to have that dark humor.”
El-Sagini is better known as a painter. In fact, “The Doctor’s Desk” is her first ceramic work.
“It was the right medium for this work: it’s fragile, it’s real, it’s malleable, raw, and very expressive,” she said. “It’s not perfect. It’s kind of a reflection on the human form.”
Dozens of ancient artifacts seized in Greek island smuggling raid
- Among the recovered items were 15 ancient oil lamps, 17 figurines or fragments
- Police also confiscated metal detectors and scanning equipment believed to have been used to locate buried relics
ATHENS: Authorities in Greece have arrested six people on the island of Crete in connection with an alleged antiquities smuggling ring that was attempting to sell dozens of ancient artifacts, police said Thursday.
The arrests came after a sting operation on Wednesday, during which the suspects were reportedly trying to sell a collection of antiquities. Investigators say the group operated as a coordinated criminal network, with clearly defined roles, including a leader, go-betweens, and a designated transporter.
Among the recovered items were 15 ancient oil lamps, 17 figurines or fragments, several ceramic vessels, and a marble sculpture believed to depict a child’s head. All are thought to date from various periods of ancient Greek history and will be assessed by a state archaeological service.
Police also confiscated metal detectors and scanning equipment believed to have been used to locate buried relics, as well as firearms, ammunition, quantities of cannabis, and more than 3,000 euros ($3,200) in cash.
Greece, known for its rich archaeological heritage, has long battled the illicit trade in antiquities. Despite strict national laws, such artifacts remain highly sought-after on the international black market.
All six suspects are facing multiple charges, including membership in a criminal organization and breaches of cultural heritage protection legislation.
Printmaking takes center stage at JAX District exhibition
- Live screen-printing studio teaches public about processes
- Curator urges support and opportunities for local creatives
RIYADH: In a corner of JAX, Riyadh’s art district, there is an open-door policy for art enthusiasts and culture aficionados to explore the diversity of the printmaking world.
At Printworks — hosted by the Personage concept store and studio —artists, designers and architects are presenting their print-based creations to the public.
The aim is to celebrate the work of the artists and engage the public.
When curator Koren Dasoar and guest curator Dana Qabbani came together for the project, they had the aim of “really doing things that are not just for the sake of it.”
Dasoar told Arab News they are not seeking “applause, but really are conscious of people’s feelings, supporting people and building quality.”
They saw a gap in the art community: a space that caters to emerging artists.
Qabbani told Arab News: “Speaking with all of the young artists and the established ones, people are down.
“People feel they’re not doing enough to appear enough … We felt that there’s a disconnect, even with all the amazing things that’ve been happening in the scene.”
Dasoar added: “We shouldn’t wait for a large format activation or event to happen for creativity to happen.
“It’s about it being constant small- to mid-scale activities that allow people that have a growing creative practice to be able to constantly create and showcase.”
Printmaking itself is a unifier of crafts, the curators say.
It “makes you use your hands physically, and therefore the process is longer than just clicking ‘print’ and having the artwork come out.
“There is more of a practice; it’s more sacred because it slows you down. You’re making the art in slow motion,” Qabbani said.
Dasoar explained: “Print is something that I feel is completely interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and cross-medium.
“It’s something that has value in the context of artists, architects, industrial designers, product designers, and even the broader creative spectrum of writers, printers, poets.
“Print is a medium that is far-reaching. It also is something that, from a functional standpoint, allows that to be a degree of repetition, meaning that we can create repeats.
“But it’s also something that I think is quite interesting in the contemporary context, for that it takes different mediums from different practices, funnels it through a digital and non-digital medium, and translates it into something that is physical.”
The initiative aims to bring people back to a core idea of loving creativity and making art, or simply having the desire to create.
For aspiring artists to truly thrive, “there needs to be multiple points of contemplation and multiple points of creation,” Dasoar said.
“There is space for everyone, and we have a shared responsibility to support talent, nurture growth, and create opportunities for success.”
These notions manifested in Personage having an open-door policy for such events.
In this edition, the featured artists include Hayat Osama, Naif Alquba, Mohammed Zkria, Abdullah Al-Amoudi, Salman Najem, Abdullah Al-Khorayef, the sibling-led collective TwoMeem, and Shaddah Design Studio’s Il Mushtarayat.
The program allows members of the public to see how their purchased pieces are produced, as each print is made-to-order. The event also creates a space to ask questions in a more conversational setting.
“Community isn’t built in rows of chairs,” Dasoar said.
Printworks functions in two sections. The first is in existing artworks created by the artist, studio, designer or practitioner, ranging from risograph prints, screenprints, and photographic print.
The other section is an on-site, live screen-printing studio where members of the public are able to drop in and learn more about the artists, the ink, and the printing process itself.
All the works, including the print-on-demand pieces, which will be available on a limited-run basis, are part of an exhibition running until the end of April.
“We have a portion of the artists that are just in the exhibition segment, and we have several artists that have been the collaborators on the screens that are on the print and demand,” Dasoar said.
The event has talks and workshops by various creatives including Dasoar and Cristian Checcanin, the art director at TOLD, the agency behind the design of Saudi Arabia’s riyal logo.
While this is the first edition of Printworks, the goal is to create an event every month with a new, diverse set of artists and curators who can bring in fresh ideas and concepts.
This type of activation is connected to a core pillar of Personage’s mission and identity.
As a space that exists at the intersection of concept store, creative studio, and cultural platform, Personage is fundamentally about bringing people together — bridging disciplines, creative practices, and perspectives.
“We believe that the creative industry truly blossoms when we support its practitioners, while also allowing patrons and buyers to grow, connect, and engage through experiencing — and investing in — the outcomes of creativity.
“In this way, we nurture both the creators and the community that surrounds and uplifts them,” Dasoar said.
